Daemons of Nurgle

Daemons of Nurgle
A Great Unclean One leading an army.
Grand alliance	Chaos
Associated factions	Maggotkin of Nurgle
Major characters	Epidemius Horticulous Slimux Rotigus Rainmaker
Races	Daemon Prince Great Unclean One Nurgling Plaguebearer
Mounts	Plague Drone
Creatures	Beast of Nurgle Soulgrinder
Spell lores	Lore of Virulence
Scenery	Feculent Gnarlmaw

Daemons of Nurgle are a faction of daemons created by the plague god, Nurgle. They are the embodied forces of decay, plague and entropy spilling into the Mortal Realms in a repugnant tide ^[1]

Daemons and their nature

Daemons are entities that are formed from their god, extensions of their will and power, and despite any individual goals, desires or motivations they are all driven by the essential essence of the deity. The Daemons of Nurgle are thus akin to their master and creator, abhorrent in nature and appearance desiring to spread plague and pestilence across the Mortal Realms and beyond. However they are also, like Nurgle himself, obscenely cheerful and most are without apparent malice, often singing and laughing at the antics of their fellow daemons.^[2a]

At the height of the festering pyramid of power are the Great Unclean Ones, terrifying huge and suppurating flesh mountains, usually full of humour as much as fetid bile. Plaguebearers were once mortal, transformed by Nurgle's Rot into grotesque one eyed creatures bearing deadly plague swords. They are led by Heralds of their kind, Poxbringers, Sloppity Scriverners and move to the tune of Sloppity Bilepipers. Exuberant Beasts of Nurgle caper and bound to meet new friends, suffering only brief disappointment when they dissolve or are rent asunder in their uncontrollable frenzy of affection. In contrast are the vast and bitter Rot Flies, many bearing Plaguebearers aloft. Finally there are the Nurglings, mischievous and tiny versions of the great god, they are usually found in large numbers. ^[2a]

In warfare they may appear slow and lumbering, but they are supernaturally resilient and tremendously strong, growing hugely wrathful when they are obstructed from what they see as their sacred duty. Even if they are defeated and destroyed they merely return to the garden to be planted and harvested anew.^[2a]

The Daemons of Nurgle may be brought into the Mortal Realms in a number of ways, sometimes Nurgle's power grows so vast that his garden swells and exudes into other realms, and be that those of his bother gods or other worlds such as the Mortal Realms. There are also corrupted Realmgates that lead directly to the Garden and these serve not only as a passage for pilgrims to the domain of thier god, but also as roads that the legions of Nurgle can march, crawl, shamble and undulate down. Mortals can gather the energy to summon them, using areas already corrupted to serve as a nexus and conduit for the same legions. It is a dangerous and difficult task to summon a Daemon and unless one is careful, the entities that come through may not be what was expected, having been plucked at random from the garden. ^[2b]

When they go to war the daemons of Nurgle will often form into Plague Legions, each led by a Great Unclean One whose nature and idiosyncrasies will influence its nature and tactics. Seven Tallybands will form the heart of the legion, each comprising seven packs of Plaguebearers and Plague Drones, led by a Herald whilst Beasts gambol about them.^[2c]

Plague Legions

• The Befouling Host: The caretakers and guardians of the infamous Garden of Nurgle, they are also sent to spread their foul seed to the Mortal Realms.^[1] They are often accompanied by Horticulous Slimux.^[2d]
• The Droning Guard: The specialise in airborne attacks, notorious in the Sallowlands and led by Uncle Septuklus.^[2d]
• The Munificent Wanderers: A Plague Legion led by Thrombolhox the Giving, noted for its diligence in infecting themselves before they enter other worlds.^[2d]

Sources

• 1: Grand Alliance: Chaos pg 140-143
• 2: Battletome: Maggotkin of Nurgle (2018)
  • 2a: The Daemons of Nurgle, p8-9
  • 2b: Avatars of corruption, p10-11
  • 2c: Armies of the Plague God, p16
  • 2d: Warbands of the Plague God, p18
  • 2e: Great Unclean Ones, p22
• 3: Hallowed Knights: Plague Garden